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Table 3 Comparison of articles identified through Science Citation Index and PubMed searches until the end of 2003

From: Searching for observational studies: what does citation tracking add to PubMed? A case study in depression and coronary heart disease

Search method(s) that identified article

PubMed and Science Citation Index (n = 31)

Science Citation Index only (n = 11)

PubMed only (n = 8)

   Mean (s.d.)

1999 (6.4)

1996 (7.9)

1997 (9.9)

   Median (range)

2002 (1969–2003)

2001 (1982–2003)

2001 (1973–2002)

Impact factor

   

   Mean (s.d.)*

4.2 (2.8)

9.5 (9.8)

3.9 (2.6)

   Median (range)

3.2 (1.1–10.5)

3.8 (2.0–31.7)

2.8 (1.3–7.6)

Study Type

8 aetiologic 23 prognostic

3 aetiologic 8 prognostic

2 aetiologic 6 prognostic

Classification of outcome**

25 positive 6 null

5 positive 6 null

6 positive 2 null

Sample size: aetiologic studies

   

Mean (s.d.)

4502 (3331)

5758 (4397)

1101 (1089)

   Median (range)

3269 (76–9758)

7217 (817–9239)

1101 (332–1870)

Sample size: prognostic studies

   

Mean (s.d.)

525 (626)

832 (925)

399 (441)

   Median (range)

344 (30–2885)

552 (58–2320)

288 (66–1250)

  1. * Four articles were published in journals with no impact factor (1 both methods, 1 Science Citation Index only, 2 PubMed only).
  2. **Statistically significant result at the p < 0.05 level.